Halloween love story
by CindyChamiAngel
Summary: Someone is playing vicious pranks in Lawrence, Kansas. Sam and Dean investigate. There's a musical number!


A Halloween Love Story

I was drowned, I was washed up and left for dead  
I fell down to my feet and I saw they bled , yeah yeah  
I frowned at the crumbs of a crust of bread  
Yeah, yeah, yeah  
I was crowned with a spike right through my head  
But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas

Jumping jack flash, the Rolling Stones

* * *

"I hate Halloween." Sam grumbled under his breath.

"You say that every year, Sammy." Dean offered as he turned the Impala into a parking spot near his favorite diner. He threw the car into park and shut down the engine. Reaching forward he stroked the dash and murmured lovingly. "You wait here, Daddy will be back soon.

"I mean it every year!" Sam said. His glance went out the window at groups of kids dressed in costumes, running happily down the sidewalks toward trick or treating or parties. "You can't tell the people from the monsters."

"You can never really tell, now can you, Sammy..." Dean chided sarcastically.

"Oh, just shut up." Sam groused and slid out of the car. He walked to the diner and went in not waiting for Dean. Dean for his part chuckled and followed his brother into the diner. He had to dodge giggling children and annoyed parents.

Sam waved Dean over to the table he'd sat down at and took out the menu.

"This really creeps you out, doesn't it?" Dean asked. Sam frowned at him.

"What can I get you?" The waitress asked.

"The usual," Sam sighed. She turned to Dean with a seductive smile.

"And for you? A big, greasy, bacony burger with fries?"

"If you weren't married..." He said with a smile. Just then outside there was the concussion of fireworks and a loud scream, followed by a commotion. Sam rose and moved out the door.

"It's probably just..." Dean called to his brother's back. He sighed. "A prank..." Dean looked at the waitress. "We'll be right back, Becka..." He followed Sam outside.

* * *

Outside looked like a terrorist attack. People were running, children were crying and a mother was leaning over her toddler. Sam moved to them and saw a burning trick or treat pumpkin at the little girls feet and her mother holding her hand. Both of them were in tears. The pumpkin seemed to be crying as it melted.

"What happened?" Sam asked, falling beside the mother and looking at the little girl's injured hand.

"Someone put firecrackers in her trick or treat pumpkin..." The mother told him with more then a little fury in her voice.

"Hang on." Sam jumped up and retrieved the first aid kit from the Impala and came back. "You're going to want her to go to the hospital. That's a nasty burn, second degree. You might want to go by the hospital."

"And call the cops." Dean offered, catching up.

Sam took out the burn cream and gently rubbed it on her hand. "There, is that better?" He asked her. She looked into his eyes with huge, cerulean orbs. She nodded, tears making the deep blue of her eyes almost Mediterranean. One more reason to hate Halloween.

"Thank you so much..." The mother said and hurried off with her daughter.

"What kind of douche puts fire crackers in a kids pumpkin?" Dean asked. Sam didn't answer. He was distracted by something glowing at the edge of the sidewalk. He moved over and there he found something weird.

"Take a look at this!" He called and Dean came over, picked it up.

"Is that a turnip with a candle in it?" Dean asked.

"Um, I think so." Sam offered.

"Weird." Dean said and turned to go back inside and get his hamburger.

* * *

"Well, it's almost over for another year." Dean offered as they drove back toward the bunker.

"You don't have to cheer me up." Sam snapped.

"Oh? It's that or put up with you..." Dean returned.

"I'm sorry. It's just. I… that little girl looked so betrayed. She was supposed to have some fun and..."

"Oh, I'm with you. If I find the guy who did it, I'm gonna..."

"Find the guy?" Sam asked. "Where?"

"I'm not sure, but I think tomorrow we can do a little asking around." Dean said and shifted in his seat.

At that moment, a jack o' Lantern came out of nowhere and impacted with the windshield of Baby. Dean locked up the breaks and did a bootlegger in the middle of the road. He managed to career with delicate control to a stop in the middle of the road, shaking him and Sammy nearly to death.

Once stopped, they sat for a second and swallowed their hearts.

"OK, someone dies." Dean finally uttered. He slid out of the car and ran into the woods, looking around for clues.

Sammy followed him and drew his pistol. Dean checked for footprints, broken branches. Nothing.

"Dean." Sammy called. Dean turned and moved impulsively to his brother, burning adrenaline and rage. Sammy pointed down. There, in the undergrowth was a turnip with a candle in it.

"Same dude?" Dean asked. Sammy nodded. "Son of a bitch."

The squad car pulled up behind Baby. Dean was walking out of the woods with Sam not far behind.

"You boys ok?" The Sheriff asked.

"Yeah, some asshat threw a friggin' pumpkin at my car." Dean groused. Sam slid his pistol in his holster gently.

"Lot of that going on tonight. Vandalism, mayhem. Even an arson. Gonna be a long one. I hate Halloween." The sheriff offered.

"Me too." Sam concurred. "In town someone put some fire crackers in a little girl's pumpkin. She got burned. I'm glad I had my first aid kit."

"That was you guy? I own you a thank you. That was my niece. When I catch that bastard..."

"Mind if we get in line with you for that ass whipping?" Dean asked. The sheriff smiled and nodded.

"Be my guest. I'm Sheriff Transom. My friend call me Hall." he offered his hand to Dean.

Dean took it and shook. "I'm Dean Winchester, this is my Brother, Sam."

"Winchester. Like the rifle?" Hall asked.

"As a matter of fact..." Sam offered.

"Well, I'll be damned." Hall shook Sam's hand. "Well, if I call out a posse, I'll let you guys know."

The radio in Hall's car blared to life. "All units, BOLO for a man wearing a seersucker suit and a pumpkin head. Repeat, Bolo man wearing pumpkin head and seersucker suit."

Hall leaned in the car and took out the mike. He keyed it. "No funny, Joyce..."

"Sheriff Transom? Believe me I wouldn't call it if it wasn't legit. We've had over a dozen reports of this guy reeking havoc all over town. He set Grimley's bar on fire, fired roman candles at the old church and my favorite, throwing snakes into the windows of just about everyone. Live snakes. Poisons snakes. He set loose some bats in the Kroger and put out fifty bags of burning poop in the common."

"Busy beaver." The Sheriff offered.

"Maybe there's more then one?" Dean offered.

The sheriff nodded. "Well, thanks again. As you can see, I have a town to protect." The sheriff climbed in his car and they waved him off.

* * *

"My spider sense if going crazy." Dean offered.

"Your what?"

"Come on, Sam. This is us. You feel it, don't you?"

"Well, something strange is happening, that's for sure. OK, let's go check it out."

Dean wiped as much of the pumpkin off Baby as he could and they drove back into town.

Chaos was a word for what they arrived in. Pandemonium, free for all and Mobocracy also come to mine.

There were several fires burning in various building, Bats and snakes moving freely and in abundance, several fire hydrants gushing water into the air. People ran in all directions and the streetlights flickers ominously.

"OK, so. Now what?" Dean asked.

"I wanted to go home and watch Mindhunter." Sam offered. Dean threw him a look.

Behind them, Baby suddenly began to wail. The horn blared and the wiper flipped and the lights blinked on and off.

Dean turned and ran back to her, leaned in and tried to turn off the lights. He realized he had the keys in his hand.

"Settle down, baby. I'm here..." He said soothingly.

"Settle down? SETTLE DOWN?" Came a very feminine voice. "Someone touched me! I hate that!"

"Who touched you, baby? Daddy will. Wait, did you just talk?" He looked around, flustered.

"Of course I talked. Who do you think talked? Daddy, I want to go home and take a bth and get this pumpkin off me and rest my tires..."

"SAM!" Dean bellowed and leaned back.

Sam came over curiously. "The car ok?" He asked.

"I have a name." Baby said.

"Who has a name?" Sam asked.

"Me." Baby said.

"The car." Dean offered, stunned.

"Cars don't talk Dean..."

"Yay think?" Den returned. He opened the car door and sat in the drivers seat. He motioned Sam over.

"Say something to Sam..." Dean offered.

"I have nothing to say to Sam, he's been storing chocolate in my dash board again." Baby said…

Sam's face contorted into a long frown. "Not funny."

"You're telling me. That stuff is sticky when it melts."

"They're protein bars." Sam offered.

"Keep telling yourself that, Sam." The car snarked back.

"Look you..." Sam leaned forward toward Baby. Dean caught him and held him back.

"Really, you're going to hit my car for calling out your candy bars?"

"Protein bars..."

"Bigger picture. My car talks, dude."

"Your car… OK, so, something supernatural is going on."

"You think?" Dean replied.

"OK, so what the hell are we dealing with?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. What do we know? Halloween, pranks, and these stupid turnips!" Dean kicked one of the turnips across the common.

"Turnips. That is so freaking familiar." Sam offered. He took out his phone.

"DO I have to do everything?" Baby said.

"Beg pardon?" Dean asked.

"It's Stingy Jack. Your father had a run in with him." Baby offered.

"Who the hell is stingy Jack?" Dean asked.

"Well, my love, it's an old legend."

"My love?" Dean asked with a slight smile.

"Of course I love you. My angel." Baby said.

"Aw, I love you to, sweetness..."

"Ewww. Can we talk about the monster that's destroying Lawrence?"

"Ignore him, Baby."

"Usually do." She returned. Sam could have sworn she gave him a raspberry. "Stingy Jack was a misery, vicious guy who loved to play pranks. He once tricked the Devil into climbing a tree and then trapped him their with crucifixes. He made the devil promise never to take him into hell. The devil did and when Jack died, Heaven didn't want him and the Devil kept his promise not to take him. So Jack wanders the Earth using a hollowed out turnip for a lantern filled with an ember from hell itself."

"Beautiful and smart." Dean said proudly. "That's my girl."

"Dean, Don't fall in love."

"Too late." Dean offered and nuzzled the steering wheel.

"Great."

"What's that on your face?" Dean asked. Sam reached up and touched his face. His hand came away white. He sniffed it. "Is that… Grease paint?"

"What the?"

"Maybe his inner clown is coming through." Baby offered.

"My inner..."

"How much you want to bet it's a sad clown." Baby offered.

"Double or nothing the clown from IT." Dean returned.

"Ill take it. Complete fluid change if I win?"

"Two hundred mile an hour challenge if I win."

"Done." They said it at the same time.

"I hate you both." Sam offered and walked away.

* * *

Sam looked at his phone. In the dark reflections of his internet browsing he could see the clown makeup spreading rapidly over his face.

"Sad clown." He sighed as the blue tear appeared under his right eye. "Damnit."

He looked over at Dean who was having an animated conversation with the impala. They were laughing and if he didn't know better, he'd think the lights were flashing flirtatiously.

"You know it's a doomed romance!" He yelled at them.

"Speak for yourself, bozo!" Baby called back. She was really mean.

His web search turned up nothing. No way to kill Jack O the Lantern. Precious little lore on him. He closed his browser and dialed Castiel.

It took three rings, but Cass picked up the phone.

"Yes Sam?"

"I hate to bother you, I know you're busy..."

"No, it's fine, I'm traveling. What can I do for you?"

"What do you know about Jack O the Lantern."

"Nasty. He's a trickster. Vicious. He won't stop until someone dies. It's kind of his way of amusing himself. Is he there?"

"Well, There are turnips everywhere, I'm turning into a clown and Dean's car came to life..."

"I would say that is enough evidence. The turnips are indicative..."

"How do I get rid of him?"

"Well, you must summon the original demon who gave him his deal. It's the only thing he's afraid of."

"And who is that?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. I could be one of hundreds. Someone Celtic."

"You mean like...Scottish?" Sam asked…

"With your luck I doubt it's that easy. But you could certainly call him. But Sam, be careful..."

"Yeah, you're telling me."

"No, seriously. Dean's not going to be happy when Baby stops being alive."

"Damnit… Thanks Cass." Sam hung up the phone.

"So, Cass says all we have to do it..." Baby's horn blew very loudly.

"Baby, stop, let Sam talk..."

"We just need to find the demon he made the original deal with. Someone Scottish or Irish..."

"Dean. Let's go for a ride!" Baby said.

"Later. Can we just..." At that moment, Baby took off with the flailing Dean struggling to stay in the front seat. He managed to swing his legs around and slam the door shut before being dragged to his death.

"Dean!" Sam called. Soon all he saw was red tail lights in the burgeoning gloom of night.

* * *

Sam's hair was falling out. What remained was turning purple. Huge red circles appeared around his eyes and blue lips turned down in a frown. His clothes had ballooned out and big, red puffballs had replaced the buttons.

But he wasn't a sad clown. He was an angry clown. With each squeak of the orange giant shoes impacting the ground he became angrier.

He stood at the corner of Oak and Fifth and took out his summoning tools. A few brave passers by snuck past him in the gloom, one of them actually brave enough to shoot some video for the web later.

He took out the dagger and cut his hand. He said the words. Actually growled them.

Crowley appeared. He looked around for a moment, bewildered, and then looked at Sam.

"Who the hell are… Moose? Moose is that you?" The words were followed by peals of laughter.

"I'm not in the mood, Crowley." Sam said through gritted teeth.

"Just a tick." Crowley took out his phone and snapped a picture of Sam.

"I will shove that phone right up your..."

"Brilliant. You look absolutely brilliant. A dare you lost? Some kind of initiation?"

"Jack." Sam said looking Crowley dead in the eyes.

"Beg pardon?"

"Do not screw with me. Jack of the Lantern is running around. I'm turning into a clown..."

"Got news Moose, the worst is done."

"And Baby has kidnapped Dean..."

"Baby?" Crowley asked.

"The car. It's come to life."

"Well, there's a level of kink even I hadn't thought of. Tailpipe?"

"Don't! Damnit, I won't get that out of my head."

"Tailpipe? DO you think he's smart enough to wait til it cools?"

"I really hate you." Sam said.

"I can leave." Crowley feigned turning around. Sam reached out a white gloved hand and grabbed him. A horn sounded when he did.

"I know it's you." Sam said.

"Me what?" Crowley said. A real smile came to his face as the veins in Sam's neck throbbed.

"How do I get rid of him?"

"You don't. I do. But it will cost you." Crowley said with a grin.

* * *

Once outside the city lights, Baby slowed.

"What the hell are you doing, trying to kill me?" Dean asked. He'd given up trying to control the car, the steering wheel no longer responded.

"I had to get you away from Sam. He's possessed." She offered.

"Sam? Possessed? By who?"

"I don't know, but he had all the signs. I learn from John how to identify them..."

"My dad taught you how to hunt."

"No silly, your father took me on every hunt. I spent more time with him then both of you put together."

Dean was silent for a moment. He knew this car better then he knew himself. And she was just what he always thought she'd be.

"OK, now, what's the truth."

"I told you..."

"First, if Sammy was possessed, I know. Second, if Sammy was possessed, I'd have to be the one to exorcise him. And finally, you are a terrible liar."

The car was silent, just the sound of the tired on the asphalt and the chirping of the crickets as them moved down the dark highway. The headlight cut through the night like beacons, leading them forward. She did not speak after a long while and so he did.

"You know, this is my favorite thing. Driving in the quiet night, you and me and the rhythm of the road. The stars blinking down at us. The silence is soothing. It's like we are the last two things on Earth that have motion. Just you and me..."

"I like that, too." She said quietly.

"I've loved you since I was five years old. Hell, probably longer. You mean everything to me, family, home. You're my home. So tell me why you did that."

"Don't you know, Dean? When Sam catches Jack, I die. Don't get me wrong. I only have til Dawn either way, but, I mean, I just want to be able to talk to you. I want to be with you."

Dean smiled. "We got to be who we are, hon. Someone's gonna die unless you and me save the day. You got one day, you want to spend it being a coward, or a hero?"

Baby laughed. "Hero! Yes, Let's go save the day!" Baby skidded and reversed, tired throwing rock and rubber into the air in a cloud and whipped through the cool autumn night back into Lawrence Kansas to save the day.

* * *

"How hard can it be to find a guy with a pumpkin head in a seersucker suit?" Sam asked.

"No harder then sneaking around with a six foot seven clown..." Crowley offered.

"Why are you helping me?" Sam asked, suddenly.

"One, you're going to owe me a favor and two, I really hate Jack, even more then you. Bastard. I ws up that tree for three days."

"I didn't thin you were allergic to crosses..."

"Not crosses, Enochian sigils. He was almost as smart as you."

At that moment, Baby ripped into the square and screeched to a daredevil stop next to Sam and Crowley.

"Squirrel. Mrs. Squirrel." He said in hello. The car giggled. "well, I'll be damned. It is alive! He's getting more powerful!"

"Yes, I am." came a voice from behind them.

The creature looked like Jack Skellington but with less fashion sense. The blue and white polyester seer sucker looked like something out of a nightmare itself.

"Change them back..." Crowley offered.

"Oh, I'm not done yet. And I have a little pay back for you, Angus!"

"Don't call me that.. tha. th..." Crowley grabbed his throat and began to choke.

"What the…!?" Dean leapt out of baby. "Trunk!" Her trunk popped open and he reached in, came up with the shotgun full of rock salt.

Crowley suddenly ran out to the middle of the street and stood up straight, his arms out.

"It's Halloween!" He sang.

"What the..." Sam asked, but then grabbed his own throat. A moment later he moved out next to Crowley and struck a similar pose.

"It's Halloween!" He sang. He looked confused and angry.

"Oh, no..." Dean said, felt the tingle in his own throat and tried to clear it. A moment later, completely against his will, he was in the middle of the road with his brother and the demon.

"It's Halloween!"

The street lights flickers and then burned brighter then ever, spotlights and the people of the town came out, run dancing into positions all over the square.

"I am going to kill him." All three of the boys said at once.

In Busby Berkley style, the good people of Lawrence Kansas began dancing around as music swelled from somewhere in the night.

"Anything but a dance number."

"Oh it's Halloween, the darkest night, the biggest fright!" Sam sang. He moved like a puppet doing a little tap number.

"It's Halloween, A special night, with dark delights!" Dean sang.

"If you're afraid of ghoulies and of Ghosties!" Crowley sang.

"Then watch out for the black cats on those old fence posties!" Dean Intoned.

"It's Halloween! With scary vamps and murdered tramps..." Sam Sighed.

"Who wrote this?!" Dean groused.

"It's Halloween, with treats and tricks and scares in the mix!" Crowley sang.

"It's Halloween, the most fantastical night of the years!" Their voices crescendod together.

"I'm a guy with an animate car. Me and her together and our love with go far."

"I'm a sad clown, with a big blue tear, turns out that I've become what I most fear.."

"I'm the demon who banished Jack. And with this song you know he's going to get back."

"On Halloween! On Halloween! On Halloween! This YEAR!"

As suddenly as it began, it was over. They stopped dancing, all the townies looked round, bewildered as to how they had gotten here. Crowley looked at the boys with a look of murder in his eyes and took off across the square. They followed him into the cold Kansas night.

Baby revved her engine and followed them.

* * *

"Come back here, you bastard!" Crowley screamed into the night. He heard the boys behind him, running very fast. Well, Dean was. Sam was more prominent for the squeaky sound his giant shoes were making. It was like being chased by a dog toy.

In the distance he saw a fire burning and knew that must be the quarry. "This way!" He yelled and heard the brothers Winchester adjust their trajectory to find him. Jack O Lantern was going to be very, very sorry he had ever been born.

A moment later, Crowley hit the edge of the firelight and realized his mistake. He's been lured.

The circle was large and cut into the cornfield he now stood in. Enochian, of course. Damnit.

The boys skidded into the circle behind him knocking him down. The sound of Sam's stridous, honking fall annoyed Crowley all the more. None of them could move, Crowley from the circle, the boys from some spell Jack had come up with.

"I hate you." Crowley managed to rasp through his clenched teeth.

"Feelings mutual." Jack returned.

Now in the light, Sam and Dean could get a better look at their captor. He was impossibly thin and his skin was mummified. His head wasn't under a mask, it was, in fact, a pumpkin. The circle was surrounded with hundreds of turnips with candles and a bonfire burned behind him.

"This is going to be awesome." Jack said. "I can get back at you, Angus and kill TWO hunters for my merry prank this year. My personal best is wounding one. So, first I'll kill your pets and then you and me can take a long walk, Angus.

"FERK YER." Crowley squeaked.

"NO Angus. Ferk yer." Jack smiled.

With a wave of his hand, the boys lifted into the air and moved next to a thresher. It roared to life.

Crowley crowed something and Jack waved his hand, allowing Crowley to speak.

"Seriously over dramatic, aren't you?" he said.

"Everyone knows the Winchesters are difficult to kill. I figured overkill."

Crowley nodded. "Pragmatic of you. What are you going to do with their souls?"

"Hadn't though. Might trade them to that angel for some pass codes to heaven."

"Why didn't I think of that? Hum. Well, alright. Go ahead..."

"Crowley, you asshat.!" Dean said.

"It's been my experience letting the talk before you try to kill them is a mistake."

"Do you think so?"

"The big one, especially. How ever did you turn him into a clown? I'd have gone Moose myself."

"It's a worst fears realized spell. I picked it up from a little witch in Belgrade."

"Ah. And the car..." Crowley asked.

"Just another trick. Look if you're trying to get me to monologue, you should know me well enough to know there is no plan for world domination or opening portals. I'm just bored, Angus. Three hundred and sixty four days a year, I'm nothing, I'm a thought on the wind, but on Halloween, I get to let it all out. And this is good year. I've been planning this for a while."

"Yes, I see that..."

"You're stalling. Is that angel around?" With a flick of his hand, Sam and Dean lifted into the air over the thresher. The blades spun in a bloodthirsty cacophony and they both kicked and yelled.

"No," Crowley said with vague disinterest.

At that moment, Baby surged into the field and at 80 mile per hour smashed into the thresher, clipping Jack as she did, sending him spiraling into the air. Dean and Sam immediately dropped onto the hood and after long seconds of splintering glass and tearing metal, the whole scene froze in silence.

Sam got up and ran to the place Jack had fallen. He was, of course, gone.

* * *

Dean fell beside Baby. Tears fell on her chipped black paint.

"Baby, Baby, no..."

"It's ok, Dean. I've had worse.." She coughed a time or two.

"Don't, Baby. Just be still. I'm here… I'm gonna fix you up good as new, better even."

"I know you will, Dean. Remember. I… I love you..."

"I love you too… Baby. Baby! NO!"

"Dean. It's a spell, your car isn't..." Crowley began, but Sam put a hand on Crowley's shoulder. He shook his head gravely and Crowley nodded.

* * *

Sam walked into the garage. Dean was under the car, fixing something. The wrench ratchet in cadence.

"How's it going?" Sam asked.

"Well, cracked the engine block, radiators gone, suspension needs a complete overhaul..." He slid out from under the car. "But, I can save her."

"You know, Dean…"

"Sammy, don't. Let me remember her fondly." He stood and grabbed another tool from the tool box. "Did you want something?"

"Um, yeah. I called the Sheriff's office to ask how the little girl was."

"And?"

"There is no Sheriff Transom. The Sheriff here is Miller. Do you think that was…?"

"Don't care. I plan on spending Three hundred and sixty four days trying to find out hos to end his ass… You still got some grease paint in your hairline."

"Yeah. I'm still washing it out of all kinds of places..."

"TMI, dude."

"SO, you good?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. I'm good."

Sam nodded and left the garage. Once he was alone, Dean leaned over.

"I love you." He whispered.

He didn't hear anything and so he went back to fixing his car.

Raven hair and ruby lips  
Sparks fly from her finger tips  
Echoed voices in the night  
She's a restless spirit on an endless flight  
Wooo hooo witchy woman see how  
High she flies  
Woo hoo witchy woman she got  
The moon in her eye

Eagles, Witchy Woman.


End file.
